Because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Heb. 7:24-25
Dear Lord Jesus, this grace-saturated, heart-freeing Scripture reminds me of an experience I had recently driving into my home state. Driving along Interstate 40, I came upon a billboard that pushed some buttons before it raised my palms. Just through the mountains of North Carolina, there it was, in bold, big, red letters: Are You Saved?
My first response was, “What an un-cool, cost-ineffective, out-of-date, impersonal way to do evangelism. People who put up highway signs like that are clueless about the gospel. They’re usually legalists, pragmatists and moralists, and they’re clueless about a theology of divine sovereignty and imputed righteousness. They’re culturally disengaged, politically conservative, narrow-minded, and they don’t realize what a turn-off that kind of signage is.”
But then your Spirit gently disrupted my arrogant signage tirade with this thought: “You completely avoided the question. Are you saved? And if you think you are, on what basis do you make such a bold claim?”
Humbled, I continued driving with both hands on the steering wheel, but my heart certainly reached heavenward in fresh thanksgiving; for, indeed, I am saved, Lord Jesus—unabashedly and unashamedly so. And there’s only one reason and there’s only one basis: I have come to God through you. You are the permanent priest who offered the perfect sacrifice for me, once and for all. You completed your work on the cross, and you will complete your work in me.
You live forever, and forever you live to thoroughly save me and your whole pan-national, trans-generational bride. Your life and death were given in substitution for me, and now I wear your righteousness and enjoy your advocacy before the Father. Am I saved? Most definitely and most delightfully!
I don’t have to like religious highway billboards, but may I never ever tire of responding to the question “Are you saved?”, for there’s no question more humbling to me and honoring of you. So very I pray, Lord Jesus, in your merciful and mighty-to-save name.
